Southern Ontario caught in a winter storm frenzy, midweek storm takes aim
Following the largest snowfall of the season for many in the province, we're looking at the next couple of storms shaping up to impact southern Ontario
Is winter just getting started in southern Ontario?
Following the largest snowfall event of the season for many across southern Ontario on Saturday, another storm is on its way to pack a punch for the region in the middle of the week.
A weak Texas low is set to develop early Wednesday, gradually strengthening as it moves up through the Mississippi Valley. As the low moves towards Ontario, there is a risk for mixed precipitation across the province, resulting in hazardous travel and significant slowdowns on Thursday.
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These storms are part of a winter frenzy that has locked onto the province.
As always, be sure to keep up-to-date on your local weather alerts and always check the highway conditions before heading out.
Wednesday into Thursday: Texas low brings widespread lake-effect snow
While the exact track of the low remains uncertain, it will bring widespread precipitation to many across the province.
Localized, lake-effect snow develops across western portions of Lake Ontario, including areas from St. Catharines to Toronto during the morning and continue throughout the day. As the low nears Lake Erie, the snowfall will intensify in nature across southern Ontario.
This system will brings gusts of up to 60 km/h along the northern side of Lake Ontario, increasing the risk of blowing snow and reduced visibility.
As the low continues to move in through the afternoon, snowfall will continue to get heavier during the evening and overnight hours, particularly across areas north of Lake Ontario, including parts of cottage country, as well as eastern Ontario, including Ottawa. We could even see some freezing precipitation along the Lake Erie shoreline.
Folks can expect significant slowdowns and hazardous conditions on highways during this time.
The most potential for the heaviest snow occurs across southern and eastern Ontario in the early hours on Thursday morning, as a widespread, heavy swath of snow north of the low could bring 20+ cm of accumulation, leading to travel disruptions and potential flight cancellations due to the heavy, blowing snow.
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Cold air from up north will also be clashing milder air from down south, leading to some rainfall sneaking into the region, particularly around Lake Erie, Niagara region, and possibly even into the GTA.
Gusty winds up to 70-90 km/h where we see the clashing on Thursday morning will also increase the risk for power outages.
As the low slips south during Thursday afternoon, the snowfall will gradually reduce across eastern Ontario and southern Quebec.
There is some uncertainty as to the exact track of the storm, if the low shifts even slightly northward, it could push the warm air further north, bringing a risk of a wintry mix to regions south of Highway 401.
There is also low confidence in pinpointing which regions could see the heaviest amount of snowfall, but areas like Barrie, Bancroft, and Ottawa are likely to see the largest impacts.
Looking ahead, another high-impact storm is possible heading into the weekend.
Colder-than-normal temperatures are expected to dominate through the end of February and into March, with an active pattern also expected.
Be sure to check back with The Weather Network as the details of this storm continue to come into focus.
Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on your forecast across Ontario.